1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus for conveying stack of bags from a stacking station to a downstream processing station for further processing, and more particularly to a conveyor including a belt, and a bag clamping device to clamp a stack of bags to the belt for movement therewith.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bag conveying apparatus is disclosed in German Patent Specification No. 28 58 022. The apparatus therein disclosed includes a conveyor belt that is intermittently operated by a suitable drive means, and that transports a carriage when the carriage has been clamped to the conveyor belt during its intermittent movement. A pneumatic piston-cylinder unit is provided for returning the carriage to its initial position when it has been released from the conveyor belt after the conveying operation has been completed. The apparatus disclosed in that publication is relatively expensive because separate drive means are required for the intermittent motion of the conveyor belt and for returning the carriage in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the conveyor belt.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art apparatus and to provide a simplified apparatus for conveying a stack of bags.